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Network Interface Card (NIC) in device manager cannot be deleted.

Hi

I have come across a wierd problem. The network adapter from my computer cannot be deleted ( as in uninstalling the device drivers from Control Panel- Harware - Device manager).
I was having some issues with my network connectiviy , therefore to troubleshoot the problem I decided to uninstall and reboot the computer. I thought by rebooting the computer windows will automatically detect the ethernet card and install the driver. Rather, upon reboot I was presented with Harware add Wizard and windows was prompting to specify the correct driver.
Since I didn't had the device driver file on me, I decided to go with "choose from a list of hardware" and selected the device type as network and and some incorrect ethernet that was listed under the Linksys section. Now the device manager says, the device could not be sstarted.
I downloaded the correct driver for the NIC but cannot install it becuase: I can neither delete it from device drivers list, not can I use reinstall driver option and browse to the path where the device driver file is located. the "next" button even after specifying the correct inf file remains grey..

Please help out, I am badly stuck with this weird issue. My computer does not have network connectivity.

Thanks

Ashjuv

davesgonebananas

The first thing I would try is in the Device Manager right click on your computer then select Scan for hardware changes.

GTPD22

Have you tried in safe mode? Maybe windows is using it or has it tied up somehow when it reboots.

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Darr247

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johnb6767

Go to this key in the registry.....

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\PCI

(Might need to search from the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\ if you dont find it in the first one...)

Hit F3 and search for EG1064 (or linksys) until you find the key holding your NIC.

Mine is a Realtek RTL8168b/8111b Fast Ethernet Card.

(See the code snippet for the export of my key....)

My Key would look like this.....

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_8168&SUBSYS_E0001458&REV_01\4&c51e625&0&00E4

In my example, I would delete the subkey "VEN_10EC&DEV_8168&SUBSYS_E0001458&REV_01" (right under the PCI subkey). If you get denied, right click that "VEN_10EC&DEV_8168&SUBSYS_E0001458&REV_01" key, and select permissions>Full control for your user, or Administrators.... Then you should be able to delete it.....

Also, to go a step further. Look in the code below for the value "Mfg"="@oem17.inf,%realtek%;Realtek" (again, yours will be different). Notice the .inf file? Go to C:\Windows\INF and locate it, hit F2 to rename it to OEM17.OLD. This will make sure there are no previous drivers for it to install from, and it will force you to point to the new one.....

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
 
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_8168&SUBSYS_E0001458&REV_01\4&c51e625&0&00E4]
"DeviceDesc"="@oem17.inf,%rtl8168.devicedesc%;Realtek RTL8168B/8111B Family PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet NIC (NDIS 6.0)"
"LocationInformation"="@system32\\drivers\\pci.sys,#65536;PCI bus %1, device %2, function %3;(4,0,0)"
"Capabilities"=dword:00000000
"HardwareID"=hex(7):50,00,43,00,49,00,5c,00,56,00,45,00,4e,00,5f,00,31,00,30,\
  00,45,00,43,00,26,00,44,00,45,00,56,00,5f,00,38,00,31,00,36,00,38,00,26,00,\
  53,00,55,00,42,00,53,00,59,00,53,00,5f,00,45,00,30,00,30,00,30,00,31,00,34,\
  00,35,00,38,00,26,00,52,00,45,00,56,00,5f,00,30,00,31,00,00,00,50,00,43,00,\
  49,00,5c,00,56,00,45,00,4e,00,5f,00,31,00,30,00,45,00,43,00,26,00,44,00,45,\
  00,56,00,5f,00,38,00,31,00,36,00,38,00,26,00,53,00,55,00,42,00,53,00,59,00,\
  53,00,5f,00,45,00,30,00,30,00,30,00,31,00,34,00,35,00,38,00,00,00,50,00,43,\
  00,49,00,5c,00,56,00,45,00,4e,00,5f,00,31,00,30,00,45,00,43,00,26,00,44,00,\
  45,00,56,00,5f,00,38,00,31,00,36,00,38,00,26,00,43,00,43,00,5f,00,30,00,32,\
  00,30,00,30,00,30,00,30,00,00,00,50,00,43,00,49,00,5c,00,56,00,45,00,4e,00,\
  5f,00,31,00,30,00,45,00,43,00,26,00,44,00,45,00,56,00,5f,00,38,00,31,00,36,\
  00,38,00,26,00,43,00,43,00,5f,00,30,00,32,00,30,00,30,00,00,00,00,00
"CompatibleIDs"=hex(7):50,00,43,00,49,00,5c,00,56,00,45,00,4e,00,5f,00,31,00,\
  30,00,45,00,43,00,26,00,44,00,45,00,56,00,5f,00,38,00,31,00,36,00,38,00,26,\
  00,52,00,45,00,56,00,5f,00,30,00,31,00,00,00,50,00,43,00,49,00,5c,00,56,00,\
  45,00,4e,00,5f,00,31,00,30,00,45,00,43,00,26,00,44,00,45,00,56,00,5f,00,38,\
  00,31,00,36,00,38,00,00,00,50,00,43,00,49,00,5c,00,56,00,45,00,4e,00,5f,00,\
  31,00,30,00,45,00,43,00,26,00,43,00,43,00,5f,00,30,00,32,00,30,00,30,00,30,\
  00,30,00,00,00,50,00,43,00,49,00,5c,00,56,00,45,00,4e,00,5f,00,31,00,30,00,\
  45,00,43,00,26,00,43,00,43,00,5f,00,30,00,32,00,30,00,30,00,00,00,50,00,43,\
  00,49,00,5c,00,56,00,45,00,4e,00,5f,00,31,00,30,00,45,00,43,00,00,00,50,00,\
  43,00,49,00,5c,00,43,00,43,00,5f,00,30,00,32,00,30,00,30,00,30,00,30,00,00,\
  00,50,00,43,00,49,00,5c,00,43,00,43,00,5f,00,30,00,32,00,30,00,30,00,00,00,\
  00,00
"ConfigFlags"=dword:00000000
"ClassGUID"="{4d36e972-e325-11ce-bfc1-08002be10318}"
"Driver"="{4d36e972-e325-11ce-bfc1-08002be10318}\\0004"
"Class"="Net"
"Mfg"="@oem17.inf,%realtek%;Realtek"
"Service"="RTL8169"

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johnb6767

Oh, and In Windows 2000, use Regedt32.exe, not regedit.exe, to get the permissions if needed.....

ashjuv

ASKER

thanks so much for this detailed instructions. I will defentely try it out and will let you know how it went.

Thanks again..